The Turing machine was a purely theoretical concept. Several attempts at crafting LEGO Turing machines have been made in the past, with varying levels of success. And a fanciful mechanical Turing machine built by Jim MacArthur was unveiled in 2011 at Maker Faire UK.

Turing would have turned 100 years old this Saturday. Events are being organized worldwide this year to commemorate the centennial of the computer scientist's birth.

The Science Museum in London is also unveiling a special exhibition this week in honor of Turing, titled Codebreaker. At the center of the exhibition is the Pilot ACE computer, thought to be the most important surviving physical artifact left by the computer scientist. See the video below for an insider's look at the show.